An Eppes Christmas Carol
by 1st endeavor
Summary: The Christmas Spirit isn't the only spirit in the Eppes home on Christmas Eve.
1. Chapter 1

-1 Title: An Eppes Christmas Carol

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: All the characters and references to the show "NUMB3RS" are the property of Cheryl Heuton and Nick Falacci, CBS and the Scott Brothers. I am not making any profit from this and no infringement is intended. This disclaimer applies to all chapters in this story.

Chapter 1:

To his dismay, Alan Eppes, found himself in the middle of a multitude of chaotic shoppers on Christmas Eve. It wasn't a planned trip but it was one of necessity.

Alan had finished his Christmas shopping weeks ago and all of the presents had been wrapped and were now lying beneath the tree. He had been so pleased with himself, no last minute shopping for him., no sir….until he did a quick inventory of the supplies that he needed for their Christmas dinner and discovered a shortage of potatoes. Christmas dinner just wouldn't be complete without the mashed potatoes to go with the turkey and with all of their friends joining them for dinner, two potatoes was just not going to be enough.

So here he was, scurrying through the aisles, avoiding shopping baskets and various food displays; amid the horde of shoppers on this Christmas Eve to find his elusive target. Finally, on his third trip down the produce aisle he found the 5 lb bag of potatoes that he had been so desperately seeking..

Sighing with relief, he bent down and picked up the last bag just as another pair of hands tried to grab it. Clutching it tightly to his chest, Alan looked the man squarely in the eye and with a broad smile wished the man a hearty Merry Christmas and headed for the check-out line.

Alan couldn't suppress another sigh as he caught sight of the lines of people waiting at the registers, even the self-check out machines had long lines. Choosing the nine items or less aisle he reluctantly took a place in line and found it ironic that almost everyone in this line had apparently failed math because from where he was standing there was only one other person who had less than nine items. He groaned inwardly, this was going to take all night.

As the line moved slowly, festive Christmas music played over the loudspeaker. It was meant to soothe the tired shoppers and help keep the people in the Christmas spirit but everywhere Alan looked all he saw were harried , impatient shoppers eager to be on their way.

Finally, it was his turn and he tried to put on a cheerful face for the frazzled looking check-out girl. She barely responded to his "Happy Holidays" as she frantically rang up his purchase and moved on to the next person in the line.

Alan grabbed his shopping bag and walked quickly toward the exit, once again dodging shopping carts and people.

The pandemonium didn't cease once he stepped outside. The parking lot was just as chaotic as the store was and as he weaved his way between the cars he thought about how nice it would be just to get home and out of this madness.

He glanced at his watch as he started his car. It was 6:20 p.m, and Charlie's plane would be arriving at LAX in ten minutes. At least, he hoped it would, there was a massive snow storm approaching the east coast and his son had been in Washington, D.C. on a consultant gig for one of the government agencies. The young Professor had left over a week ago promising that he would be back in time for Christmas.

Alan had almost given up any hope that he would make it home in time until his son had called him from the airport that very morning saying that he would be home by this evening. Thrilled with the news, he had immediately called his oldest son to let him know.

Don and his team had been really busy all week tracking down a suspected gun runner and Alan hadn't seen him for three days. They were hoping to make an arrest today and he was planning on coming by later.

Smiling at the thought of the three of them spending Christmas Eve together, he pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home.

Traffic was heavier than usual as Alan weaved his way down the street and stopped at a red light. Realizing he was grumbling to himself because the light seemed to be taking so long, he sighed and mentally went over the menu for tomorrows dinner. Just a few more miles and then he could relax and enjoy the holidays.

He heard the screeching of the tires before he saw the truck barreling toward him. Alan was surrounded by cars and with the truck coming at him head-on, there was no room to maneuver out of it's way.

As he tried to remove his seatbelt, time seemed to slow down and the truck appeared to be moving in slow motion. Alan watched in stunned silence as the cab of the truck loomed even closer.

His thoughts turned to his sons and he realized that he hadn't told them how much he loved them both and how proud he was of them. He was sure they knew it, but he hadn't said the words to them for a long time and now he wouldn't have the chance.

They had come so far this year. Don was spending more time with them now and over the past few months it seemed to Alan that he had finally come to terms with his brother and put all of their childhood issues to rest . With a happy heart, the elder Eppes had actually observed them becoming friends. This year, Alan himself had finally begun to understand his youngest son and they had developed a better understanding of one another.

He closed his eyes and envisioned his sons faces in his mind and as the air bag deployed he covered his head with his arms and whispered, "_I Love you both so very much,." _


	2. Chapter 2

Title: An Eppes Christmas Carol

Author: 1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 2:

Special Agent Don Eppes and his team stood behind the FBI tactical van preparing for an assault on a suspected gun runner's warehouse located on the south side of Los Angeles.

It had been a coordinated effort, a week long investigation with the ATF. An investigation that would hopefully end with them closing down one of the largest gun suppliers in the LA area. If the intel was correct they would also find the mastermind behind this group as well as a large cache of guns.

The agent put a finger to his radio and spoke:

"All teams report on your position."

"ATF in position" a voice acknowledged over his radio

"Roger that." he responded.

"SWAT team in position. There are two armed men at the back of the warehouse."

"Roger that."

"Does anyone have eyes inside?"

"Negative, still working on that." the SWAT team reported back.

"Hold positions, I say again , hold positions." he commanded.

He looked around at his team and scrubbed a frustrated hand through his hair. Christmas Eve and here they all were getting ready to take on a group of gun runners. Well, crime never took a vacation, not even on holidays. He had promised his Dad that he would be home this evening and he was going to do his best to keep that promise.

"I need those eyes, people. How close are we to getting them?" he inquired again a few moments later. While he waited for his answer he pulled a stick of gum from his pocket and popped it into his mouth.

Suddenly, a member of the swat team came running up to him with a video monitor in his hand.

"We've got it sir." he said breathlessly as he handed it to the lead agent and then left quickly to rejoin his team.

David, Colby and Megan gathered around him and as they watched the monitor five figures became visible. They were busy packing guns into boxes and were still unaware of what was transpiring outside of the warehouse.

Don walked back to the tactical unit and opened the door.

"How many images does it show?" he asked the agent inside.

The agent checked the thermal imager. "I show five, possibly six. The sixth one isn't very clear, could be an animal of some kind."

As he turned away from the van and faced his team he put a finger to his radio once again and continued giving out his instructions.

"Okay, listen up people. We have two guys at the back of the warehouse and a possible six inside. We stay with our original plan."

"Everyone get into position." he ordered as he glanced at his watch; 6:20 p.m; he just might be able to keep his promise to his dad and brother after all.

Don and his team moved up to the front door of the warehouse. The rest of the agents moved to the side of the door as Colby placed an explosive device over the lock and waited for the lead agent's signal.

"Execute, execute, execute." the agent called into his radio.

Colby ignited the fuse and the door exploded. The agents immediately ran through the opening yelling, "Freeze, F B I, put down your weapons!"

At the sound of the approaching authorities, two of the men turned and started firing at the agents. The other three ran for cover before they started shooting.

The first two gunmen went down quickly and the remaining three fled deeper into the warehouse, each with a team of agents chasing after him.

Don and Megan had one of them cornered behind some heavy barrels in an area that was littered with piles of old crates and discarded boxes. This section of the warehouse also had catwalks stretching across the room.

The lead agent motioned for Megan to cover him while he crossed the room to try and get the man in a crossfire. He waited until she started firing and then ran in a crouch to the other side of the room, taking cover behind some old file cabinets.

"Throw down your weapon and come out with your hands up!" he yelled at the gunman. "You can still get out of this alive."

The sound of gunfire could still be heard from other areas of the warehouse as the man yelled back to them.

"Okay….don't shoot." he called out as he slid his gun across the floor toward the two agents.

Megan shouted at him. "Put your hands up where we can see them and come out slowly."

Both agents stayed behind cover until the man moved out into the open with his hands in the air. As soon as the gunman was in view they rushed forward, their weapons held high and ready to fire.

"Down on your knees! Get down on your knees! Put your hands behind your back!" Don shouted..

He kept his gun up and trained on the man as he motioned for his partner to cuff him. She had just finished and turned around when they heard the report of another gun, this one from close range. Megan saw the shooter and quickly returned fire . Her aim was straight and true and hit the man center mass. As he fell from the catwalk her expression changed to one of horror as she turned and screamed out her friend's name.

Don saw the bullet approaching him and time seemed to slow down. It was almost like it was moving in slow motion ….straight for his head. He knew with a certainty that he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time and as the bullet came closer he closed his eyes and envisioned his brother and father. He wished he had told them how much he loved them. Don was sure that his father knew how he felt abut him but he doubted if Charlie knew how important he had become to him. If anyone had told him that one day his brother would become his best friend, he would have laughed at them, but to his utter amazement, this year he had come to terms with his feelings concerning his brother and realized just how much Charlie really meant to him.

And now it was too late, he would never get that chance and as he felt the impact of the bullet he whispered "_I'm sorry, I should have told you both how much I love you."_


	3. Chapter 3

Title: An Eppes Christmas Carol

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1

A/N: " I hope to have Chapter 4 up tomorrow and I believe that you will find it very "enlightening". I appreciate your reviews."

Chapter 3:

Charles Eppes handed his boarding pass to the stewardess and presented his driver's license to confirm his identity. She compared the information and returned his documents to him as she waved him on through the line. He pulled his bag up over his shoulder and boarded the plane.

He made his way to the first class section and located his seat. The jet wasn't overly crowded and as the remaining passengers boarded it appeared that the seat next to him would remain vacant and that would make it a more enjoyable trip; he really wasn't that comfortable when anyone was sitting too close to him. A large number of people had left the airport, opting to take a flight out tomorrow rather than wait around any longer for this one to take off.

Ordinarily, Charlie would have considered the risks further but he really wanted to get back to Los Angeles tonight. There was an unsettling feeling in his stomach and although he couldn't explain it, he knew it was important for him to be back home this evening.

As the plane started to taxi for the runway he looked out of the window at the falling snow. It certainly looked like the Christmas that was portrayed on all of the cards and in the TV shows and movies. But he was from LA and a sixty to seventy degree sunny Christmas was the kind that he had grown up with and longed for at this moment.

"_Christmas" _he thought, "_somehow_ _things were different this year." _

It was as if the three of them had developed a new sense of awareness of one another and he was eager to strengthen the bonds between them. He knew this was one of the reasons that they had decided to put up a Christmas tree this year.

In the years following their mother's death they hadn't had the heart to put one up. Margaret Eppes had always insisted on having a Christmas tree and putting up a tree was just a reminder that she was no longer with them.

But this year they were all eager to put one up and so they had made the time to go together and pick one out. He smiled at the memory, in retrospect, that may have not been the best of ideas. For instance, Charlie himself, had researched the proper dimensions, weight, height, and number of branches , not to mention the angle that said branches should be growing at in order to select the perfect Christmas tree.

Don had rolled his eyes at his father and proceeded to look for the 'perfect' tree refusing to use his brother's calculations. After two hours of discussions or arguments, however, you wanted to look a it, they had settled on a seven foot Fraser Fur. If the truth were told, it was actually settled when Alan realized that neither son was going to give in on the tree that each had selected and took it upon himself to purchase a tree that he thought was perfect while his sons were still discussing the merits of the trees that each of them had chosen. It had taken them another half an hour to realize that Alan was leaning against the SUV with a tree firmly roped to the top of the roof. They meekly got back into the car and drove home.

Once home, they had decorated the tree with equal enthusiasm and it was with a sigh of relief that Alan placed Margaret's angel on the top of the tree. The brother's had shared a look, both with twinkle's in their eyes, and knew that although Alan pretended to be frustrated with their help, they knew that he had truly enjoyed the afternoon as much as they had. The lights were plugged in and it became the perfect Christmas tree for them. The only disappointment had been when the angel itself had failed to light up. Alan had determined that the bulbs needed to be replaced and he would see that it was done before Christmas Eve.

The plane picked up speed and finally took off leaving the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport behind them. It was with a sigh of relief that Charlie watched it fade into the distance. He glanced at his watch, in four hours and thirty-six minutes he would be landing in LA and would be able to enjoy a relaxing evening with his family.

The stewardess came around offering drinks and snacks and he settled back with a ginger-ale and some salted peanuts. He pulled a magazine from his bag and glanced around to see if anyone was close enough to view what he was reading. "Vanity Fair" wasn't the kind of magazine that he usually bought, as a matter of fact, he considered it to be a "fluff" magazine. Normally, if the magazines weren't about mathematical equations or science he wouldn't give them a second glance.

This one however, had published an article about him but that wasn't the true reason that he had bought it. The article contained a quote from his brother and that meant more to him than anything else that was written in the story. Don had said that not only were they brothers, they were friends. All of his life, the younger man had wanted his brother to be proud of him but Don had kept a distance between them and now finally it looked as if they had broken that barrier.

Charlie's genius at such a young age had pushed them apart and somehow by working together they had breached the chasm that had been forged in their childhood and had gotten to know one another for who they were and accept their differences.

He read the article once more and put the magazine away and closing his eyes he fell asleep to the humming of the jet engine.

………………………………...

The plane gave a violent shudder and the young man jerked awake just as his empty glass fell to the floor. He woke up amid loud voices and screams coming from the other passengers. Quickly glancing at his watch he noted that the time was 6:20 p.m. and that they should be preparing to land at LAX.

From the side window he could clearly see the airport beneath them and the fasten seat-belt sign had started to flash. Confused he looked around the cabin and could clearly see the fear etched into the faces of the other passengers.

_"What was going on?" _he craned his neck to search for a stewardess when the scraping sound of metal against metal caused his heart to catch in his throat.

"_Were going to crash, oh, my God, were going down!"_ he thought as another violent shudder shook the plane.

The frantic voice of the captain echoed over the loudspeaker.

"This is the captain speaking, we are having difficulty with the landing gear. Please follow the instructions of your stewardess and I will do my best to get us down safely!"

The stewardess appeared at that moment and had him lean forward and put his arms over his head and after making certain that his seatbelt was firmly locked she quickly moved on to the next passenger.

Charlie's mind was whirling. He had compiled many reports for the FAA on plane crashes and the statistics kept tumbling around in his head:

"_The survival rate of passengers on aircraft ditching during controlled flights were sixty per cent. "_

His breathing quickened as he realized that the angle of descent was increasing, they were going down. This was it, soon they would be on the ground, just not the way he had intended.

He felt the front wheels hit the tarmac with a jolt and then the rear of the plane collapsed onto the runway pulled along by the front of the plane. Charlie knew what was going to happen next. The sparks from the metal dragging on the runway would ignite the engine fuel and the jet would explode, then everything would all go up in flames.

As he felt the heat coming up through the floor of the plane his thoughts turned to his brother and his father. He should have told Don how much his words had meant to him and how much he loved them both. Behind his closed eyes he envisioned the faces of his brother and father and as the heat grew stronger and the horrific sounds of metal against metal sounded in his ears, he whispered.," _I wish I had told you how much you both mean to me."_


	4. Chapter 4

-1Title: An Eppes Christmas Carol

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter1

A/N: I really appreciate your reviews.

Chapter 4 - "Revelations"

At 10:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve in a Craftsman house located in Pasadena, three men sat quietly on the floor near a flickering fireplace. The older man lay on some cushions directly in front of the fire. A younger man sat with his legs crossed and his back against a chair, a cushion placed behind him for maximum support and the third man sat against the wall directly across from his younger brother. The only other light in the room radiated from a Christmas tree.

They had arrived home almost at the same time. Alan had been dropped off by a cab and not ten minutes later his oldest son had pulled into the driveway. He had stood in the doorway, holding a bag of potatoes in his arms, waiting for Don to get out of his car when another pair of headlights blinded him as his youngest son pulled in and parked behind his brother's car.

Charlie had been completely soaked, from the top of his curly head to his shoes and there had been an odor of fuel surrounding him. Forestalling their questions with a shake of his head and a mumbled _"I need a shower_" he had gone straight up the stairs before joining them by the fire.

All three were now silent, each one lost in his own thoughts just letting the warmth from the fire comfort them.

Alan was the first one to break the silence as he noticed a bandage on the side of Don's cheek.

"Donnie, what happened, what did you do to your face?."

This question got Charlie's attention and he leaned over to get a closer look.

"Yeah, what happened?" he asked.

Don had decided not to tell them about the incident earlier in the day but before he knew it he had told them the whole story about the raid on the warehouse and the suspect shooting at him.

Alan's face paled and he stammered out. "How…how did the bullet miss you.?"

Don ruefully dug his watch out of pants pocket.

"Mom's watch." he answered "I was wearing the watch that she gave me for Christmas, you know our last one together and somehow the bullet deflected off of the watch face and missed my head.." he paused and raised his head to look at them. "I could hear it as it passed by my ear." he added softly and stopped to clear his throat.

"The bandage just covers a cut from the shattered dial on the watch. I'm okay though," he added quickly, " so you don't have to worry about me. I was really lucky… just a scratch on my cheek and a small bruise on my wrist where my watch was." His eyes lowered to the watch in his hand.

Although he tried not to show it, they could tell that he was visibly shaken by the close call that he had experienced that day. The agent stretched out a trembling hand and set the watch on the floor in front of him.

His father and brother just stared at him in awe, both too shocked to say anything, overcome by the impact of his words.

Alan shifted his position and started to reach for the watch when Charlie suddenly grabbed his arm and stared at the cut on his forearm.

As his concerned eyes met his fathers, he asked. "Dad, how did you hurt your arm?

His older son leaned over and narrowed his eyes. "Wait, where's your car, I don't remember seeing it out front, did you have an accident?

Charlie looked at his brother and agreed with him. "Your right, it's not out front…how did you get home? he asked as he turned back to his father.

Alan didn't want to say anything, in light of what Don had survived that afternoon, he felt they had been traumatized enough but from the looks on their faces he knew he would have to tell them the truth.

"All right, I was involved in an accident this evening. I was at a stop light and a truck came around the corner too fast and lost control. The driver put on his brakes but the truck continued to slide right toward my car."

He paused and swallowed, looking from son to son, the fear of the moment returning to him and he reached out a shaking hand to gently touch Don's face and then Charlie's.

"I thought …I would never get to see you two again." he added softly.

Impulsively, his youngest grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it, while Don patted his other forearm.

Alan cleared his throat and continued. "I couldn't get my seatbelt off and when the truck hit the car and the airbag deployed, I covered my head with my arms and waited for the end." he finished shakily.

His sons sat open-mouthed for a moment and then Don shook his head as if to clear his mind and asked, "What happened next?"

Alan shook his head slowly, "I'm….I'm not really sure. I heard the windshield shatter and some glass hit my arm and then everything just…stopped. Then some people came and helped me out and I remember walking around to the front of my car. The front end was crumpled up and the windshield was broken but the rest of it didn't look too bad. I had to have it towed in though. I called a cab when I couldn't get in touch with you Donnie." He sighed sadly, "Now I know why."

He shrugged his shoulders "Believe me, it could have been a lot worse . The driver was able to get control of it just in time. I was pretty lucky."

"And the only injury was the cut on your arm?" Don asked, shifting his position so he could get a better look at it. "It's not very deep. Dad, that's….that's amazing."

Alan huffed, "No more amazing than your bullet encounter."

The older man's head lowered and then he suddenly brought it back up again and his expression changed to one of realization. He pulled back from his sons and began searching through his pockets.

Startled by his behavior, Charlie cried out. "Dad, what is it, what's wrong?"

Alan shook his head. "I just remembered something. I was wearing the watch your mother gave me, you know, like Donnie's. Our last Christmas together she gave us all watches, remember?" he asked as he pulled the object from his shirt pocket.

Pointing at it he said excitedly. "Look, the dial's broken. The glass from the windshield must have hit it first and was diverted from my head."

He quickly turned his wrist over and sure enough there was a small bruise where his watch had been. His eyes met those of his sons and with a shaking hand he placed the watch on the floor next to Don's.

Don scooted back and leaned against the wall again and with an elbow on an upraised knee he covered his mouth with his hand and stared at the watches, to overcome with emotion to speak.

Alan slumped against the cushions, suddenly at a loss for words.

Charlie didn't move, he seemed frozen in a sitting position, his blank eyes never leaving the watches on the floor. Calculations were racing through his mind, odds and probabilities, statistics and analysis were coming at him at an alarming rate. He knew something that the other two were not yet aware of and his face visibly paled in the firelight.

Don looked up just as his brother's face turned a ghostly white and reacted instantly .He was afraid the younger man was going to pass out so he scooted over and grabbed his brother's wrist.

Charlie let out a hiss of pain and jerked his arm back from his brother as he scooted backwards.

Once again Don's eyes narrowed suspiciously , this time at his brother and he asked. "What's wrong with your arm?" as he moved to sit beside of him.

Alan had moved closer as well and with concerned eyes on his youngest he commented.

"You never told us why your clothes were soaked when you came in. What happened to you today?"

Charlie looked from one to the other and swallowed. He couldn't do this now, he needed to work on his calculations, he had to make some sense out of all of this, he could tell them about this some other time. Some of the panic must have shown in his eyes, because Alan grabbed his other hand and turned his head to make him look at him.

"It's okay son, just take a deep breath and talk to us. Please don't retreat into your numbers. Please Charlie?"

Don squeezed his shoulder from his other side pleading with him. "Come on buddy, don't do this."

The younger man swallowed again, ducked his head and then shook it hesitantly. A few years ago he would have made a run for the garage and his equations, they were his sanctuary against extreme emotional situations but he was surprised to find that he didn't want to do that now. He did want to tell them and he raised his head and took a deep breath.

"I know that sometimes I lose myself in the numbers but that isn't what is happening here. The probabilities of what I am about to tell you are just too numerous to even consider."

"As a matter of fact, it is a mathematical impossibility….and yet, it happened." he said more to himself than anyone else.

"Come on Charlie, speak English." Don demanded, the frustration clearly evident in his voice.

The young man paused and took a deep breath before saying, "I guess you guys were a little too busy to hear about the plane crash at LAX this evening."

"Plane crash." Alan whispered."

Don's eyebrows shot up, "Your plane crashed?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, something to do with the landing gear. The front wheels came down but the rear ones only came halfway down and collapsed when we hit the runway. It seemed as if the plane was dragged for miles before it finally came to a stop. I can still hear the sound of the metal scrapping along the runway and smell the engine fuel."

He took a deep breath and continued on with his story feeling comfort now at having them both sitting so close to him.

"I thought it was the end,… you know. I mean, I've done the statistics for the FAA on crashes like this one and in all of them the friction from the metal on the tarmac ignites the engine fuel and the plane explodes…..killing all on board." he whispered ducking his head back down once again.

"But not this time." Alan whispered as he gently pushed a curl aside so he could see his son's eyes.

"What was different about this one?" Don asked in a tremulous voice. "Did they figure it out?"

Charlie shook his head. "No, they don't have a clue. The pilot had radioed ahead of course and the emergency crews were on hand. The firemen hit us with foam as soon as we touched down and kept trying to keep us covered to prevent the fuel from igniting. We jumped out of the emergency exit as soon as the plane came to a stop and ran as fast as we could and somehow we all got out before the plane exploded. The thing is….they've tried this before and it has never worked."

The only sound in the room came from the crackling fire behind them. The younger man glanced at his father and brother and finished his story.

"We were covered with foam and fuel so they hosed us down to get it all off. The paramedics checked me out and let me go so I just picked up my car from the parking garage and headed home."

"What about your arm….did you hurt it getting off the plane.' Alan asked trying to get a closer look at it.

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a bruise, Dad, something hit me when we landed. I was bent over in my seat, with my arms over my head and things were flying all around the cabin and then something hit me really hard and caused the bruise. Don't worry, the medics checked it out, it's not broken or anything."

Don gently took his brother's hand and as he turned it over he pulled it closer to the firelight, wincing as he got a good look at the dark black and blue mark on the top of his wrist. There was no doubt in his mind that whatever object had hit him would surely have killed Charlie if it had hit his head instead of his wrist. It was a wonder that his wrist hadn't been broken. His eyes widened when he realized the shape of the bruise. It was perfectly round, just like the shape of a watch.

Alan noticed it as well and they locked eyes momentarily before turning to face Charlie.

The younger man just nodded his head and deftly reached into his pants pocket. He held the watch up so they could see the broken dial.

"Why is your bruise so much darker than ours? Alan asked as he studied his son's wrist.

"If I had to make a guess, I'd say it had to do with trajectory. The bullet must have hit your watch at an angle." He glanced at his brother who nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, the guy was hiding up on a catwalk right above me and as I was bringing my gun around the bullet hit the watch."

"Dad, the glass also caught your watch at an angle, so you didn't get the full force of the hit. In my case, the object hit the watch straight on, bearing the full weight of the impact."

Clearing his throat he asked, "Don, what time is shown on your watch?"

"Huh?" the agent asked as he picked up his own watch and answered. "It was broken at 6:37 p.m. … why?"

Charlie swallowed and then asked his Dad the same question.

Puzzled, Alan picked up his own watch and checked the time. His eyes widened and he made eye contact with Don. "It's the same…it's impossible…but it's the same time as yours."

Two pair of eyes slowly turned to face Charlie.

"What about yours…..what time is on your watch?" Alan asked but somehow he already knew what the answer was going to be.

The young man didn't even have to look at it to know what it said so he held it so they both could clearly see that it also read 6:37 p.m.

"I don't get it….how could something like this happen? " Don wondered aloud.

"The odds," the professor's voice faltered here, "the odds would favor maybe one of us surviving….two of us at the most….and the odds of all three of us surviving? Well as I said before, it would be a mathematical impossibility...and the odds of it all happening at the same time...I couldn't even begin to guess.""

Alan suddenly turned his watch over and then looked at his sons.

"Do you remember what your mom had inscribed on the backs of your watches.?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah, sure." Charlie answered. "She wrote, "_Always wear this on Christmas Eve."_

Don agreed, "That's the same thing that is on mine."

Alan nodded his head, "Mine too. I thought it was so I would always remember her on Christmas, but now I'm not so sure."

"What are you thinking Dad.?" Charlie asked.

"What if……now I know this is going to sound crazy….but what if she knew what was going to happen today? " He held up his hand to forestall any arguments. "I know …I know….but I believe that some how she knew and she was looking out for us."

Charlie opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out and turned to look at his brother who appeared to be as speechless as he was.

No one had an answer. They sat there in silence, overwhelmed by the events of the day and the implications of Alan's words..

Moments later, Charlie came to a decision. On the plane, in those last few moments he had regretted the fact that he had never told his family how much they had meant to him and now he had been given a second chance.

"Dad, Don, on the plane when I thought I was going to die, I thought of you two." he stretched out his hands and held Alan's hand in his right hand and took his brother's hand with his left hand.

He ducked his head to gather his words carefully and then raised his head to look them in the eye.

'I have never told you how much I love you both and if I had died today, you would have never known how I felt about you," he paused and took a deep breath. "Now you know, and Don, I just wanted to tell you how much ….well, I mean….what you said in the Vanity Fair interview….it means a lot to me."

Don moved closer so that he could take hold of his father's hand as well and now they were all joined in a circle. He hesitated momentarily and then taking a deep breath he began.

"Dad, Charlie, as I watched that bullet coming toward me, I also thought of the two of you and how I had never told you how much I love you both and somehow today I was given a second chance too., " and squeezing their hands tightly, he went on. "I was pretty sure that you knew how I felt Dad, but I don't think that Charlie has any idea."

He looked his brother in the eye as he said. "I love you Charlie and I'm sorry I never let you know how I felt before now."

"Don, Charlie," Alan spoke quietly as tears ran down his cheeks. "As the truck was coming toward me, I closed my eyes and saw your faces and whispered that I love you both so very much and I wanted another chance to tell you that. It looks like we all got a second chance today."

The emotional events of the day had taken it's toll on them. Tears glistened on their faces in that moment of truth and suddenly Margaret's angel began to glow brighter and brighter. They remained in the circle and were still holding hands as they turned to look at the angel.

A warmth seemed to radiate from the angel and encircle them, surrounding them protectively.

Simultaneously, Don and Charlie both whispered "_Mom" _and Alan softly whispered "_Margaret."_

The bright light and the warm feeling made them become drowsy and one by one they fell asleep in that circle.

As they lay there the ghost of Margaret Eppes gently kissed her husband's lips and whispered "_I love you_" as she watched him smile.

She kissed Don's forehead and whispered his name lovingly and watched as his face relaxed in his sleep.

As she ran her hand through Charlie's curls and kissed his cheek a single tear fell from beneath his lashes and he whispered, " _I miss you, Mom."_

A/N: One more chapter left.


	5. Chapter 5

-1Title: An Eppes Christmas Carol

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews.

Chapter 5 - Enlightenment

The morning light filtered in through the closed shades and the three men on the floor began to stir. The fire had burned down to embers and now there was a slight chill to the room.

Alan opened his eyes and rolled over to find himself lying on the floor. Memory of the previous day returned and he was relieved to find his sons sprawled out beside of him. It had really happened, for a moment he thought he had dreamed the whole thing until his eyes fell upon the three watches lying on the floor. He reached over and picked up his own watch and as he stared at the broken dial, Don began to move around.

Alan watched as his oldest son sat up yawning and rubbing his face.

Don looked around and smiled when he saw his father.

"Hey Dad." he said swallowing another yawn as he reached over and shook his brother's shoulder. "Come on Chuck, time to wake up."

"Hmm." his brother murmured in his sleep.

"Donnie, maybe you should let him sleep a little longer."

"Naw, if I'm awake, then he's awake." his oldest responded with a grin, shaking his brother until he got the response that he was looking for.

Charlie reached up and smacked his hand away mumbling something about telling on him if he didn't leave him alone and then he opened his eyes. His brown eyes widened as he remembered the events of the previous evening and he rolled over and quickly sat up.

"It all happened, didn't it?" he asked breathlessly. "I mean…it was so real." he paused as he saw his watch and slowly picked it up.

"Yeah, Charlie, I believe it did." Don answered quietly, as he picked up his own watch..

Alan climbed slowly to his feet and let out a groan as he straightened up.

"I'm too old to be sleeping on the floor" he complained. " It's still a bit overwhelming. I mean the fact that we all survived….." he stopped speaking, unable to go on.

Don stood up by Alan and patted him on the back. "Come on Dad, I think we can all use a cup of coffee."

"Coffee sounds good." Charlie added coming up behind them unable to stifle a yawn. "I can't believe we slept on the floor last night."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

That afternoon the house was full of laughter as Megan, Larry, David and Colby joined the family for Christmas dinner. Amita and Millie were out of town spending the holidays with they're own families.

"Alan that was absolutely delicious." Megan remarked as she pushed her plate away.

"Man….you are not kidding." Colby added, patting his stomach.. "I don't think that I could eat another bite."

David snorted, "Somebody needs to write this date down and record it, the day Colby Granger couldn't eat another bite."

"Ha, ha, ha." his partner grumbled good-naturedly.

"But surely, you will have room for my ice cream?" Larry inquired.

Charlie arched an eyebrow at Don anticipating his friends reaction to Larry's 'homemade ice cream"

Don covered his mouth to hide a grin before commenting. "Yeah, you've got to try his ice cream, Larry makes it himself."

The professor had made ice cream for them once before and it's taste turned out to be quite unique and Don was looking forward to seeing the reactions of his friends.

"Is everyone ready for desert now?" Larry asked, and then tuned to Megan.

"Would you care to assist me my dear?

She smiled broadly at him and answered. "It would be my pleasure, professor." as they left the room.

In the meantime the others began to clear up the dishes and by the time the two of them had returned everyone was ready for the desert.

Alan, Don and Charlie were prepared for Larry's appearance but the looks on Colby and David's faces were absolutely priceless.

Megan was carrying a large mixing bowl and spoon while juggling milk, cream, sugar and vanilla but it was Larry that had them sitting there with their mouths open.

The professor was now wearing protective goggles and gloves and carrying a sealed silver container.

David and Colby exchanged half-hearted looks as Larry opened the container and spooned a dipper full of the cold liquid into the mixing bowl, adding the other ingredients as he stirred the mixture.

"Ah…what is that?" David tentatively inquired.

"Why, liquid nitrogen, of course." Larry answered as he started to dish the mixture into the desert dishes.

Colby looked askance at his answer. "You do know that it's against the law to poison a federal agent, right?"

"Do not worry, I assure you, this will cause you no harm." the professor answered very seriously.

To the chagrin of the younger agent, everyone burst into laughter and despite his reluctance to try the ice cream, he managed to empty out his dish.

When everyone was finished with desert and everything was cleaned up they retired to the living room where they exchanged gifts and started watching the football game.

………………………………...

All afternoon Megan had noticed a subtle change in the Eppes men and at first she had attributed it to Don's close call but as the evening wore on she could tell that there was something else going on. Each one of them was watching the other two like they were going to disappear and she didn't believe that they were even aware of what they were doing.

It made sense for Alan and Charlie to watch Don in that manner, considering his close call the day before but that didn't explain why Don was always checking to see where Alan and Charlie were or why Charlie was keeping an eye on Don and Alan or why Alan never let Don and Charlie out of his sight.

Megan studied each of them closely…yes, they were definitely hiding something. Finally, unable to figure it out she just decided to ask the question.

"Something's going on with you guys, you want to tell us what's up?"

Surprised by her question they just stared at her.

David came to the rescue. "Megan, it's probably Don's close call yesterday, that's all." He had also noticed the odd behavior but assumed it was because of the incident.

She shook her head, "No, I don't think so.

Don exchanged looks with his Dad and brother and sighing walked around to sit on the couch next to Charlie. Alan took the hint and sat down on the other side of him.

Colby had been watching the football game with zeal but as he hit the remote button to turn off the TV he turned his chair around so it was now facing the couch. If something was wrong with his friends he was going to give it his full attention.

"Okay," the older agent began. "You guys know what happened to me yesterday but what you don't know is that both Dad and Charlie almost died too."

Larry cried out, "What? You mean to say that all three of you had a near-death experience. How.…how is that possible? Charles were you and Alan in a car accident?" shocked by the announcement he continued to ramble on a few more seconds.

The young man shook his head. "No, Dad was in a car accident."

"Hold it." David emphasized his words by holding up his hand. "Let me get this straight, your saying that both Alan and Charlie were almost in fatal accidents… but not together?"

The three men nodded their heads up and down almost simultaneously.

Megan studied Charlie with concern and puzzlement showing in her eyes.. "You said Alan was in a car accident, what kind of accident were you in?"

"My plane crashed when we landed." he simply stated.

Colby snapped his fingers together. "Right! I saw that on the news this morning. Wow, that was your plane?"

Silence filled the room and the four friends just sat there staring at them.

"How is that even possible?" Megan asked, getting up and walking around the room. "I mean, three family members, in three separate accidents all on the same day? "

"It gets even better." Alan said ominously.

She stopped pacing and turned back to the couch. "What do you mean?"

"All three accidents happened at exactly the same time." Don answered.

Colby stood up and walked over. "Now I know it's a joke, you guys are just playing with us."

Charlie shook his head and pulling his watch from his pocket, he held it up so they could see it.

"This watch saved my life at exactly 6:37 p.m. I was wearing it yesterday and during the crash landing something hit my watch instead of my head." and with that statement he turned his wrist over so they could see the bruise. He continued on and told them the whole story regarding the crash.

Don took his watch from his pocket and held it up so they could clearly see the time. "Megan saw the bullet bounce off of this watch and hit the wall behind me."

She let out a breath and remarked. "I thought sure you were going down, Don. It "s a good thing you still had your weapon up or your arm and watch would not have been in the right position."

All eyes turned to Alan as he pulled his own watch out for them to see and then he repeated his story for them.

"Charlie," David asked turning to face his friend. "What are the odds of something like this happening.?"

The mathematician shrugged his shoulders and said. " I'm sorry, I couldn't even begin to calculate something like this. I have nothing to compare it too. As far as I know this has never happened before."

Larry picked up one of the watches and nervously turned it over in his hands. He caught sight of the writing on the back of the dial and held it closer to the light so that he could read it. Surprise flickered across his face and he suddenly picked up the other two watches to compare the inscriptions.

The professor jumped up excitedly from his chair and announced.

"Margaret had a premonition! That's why she gave all three of you these watches."

Megan grabbed Larry's arm. "What are you talking about?"

"The inscription on all the watches are the same." he said as he handed one of the watches to her as if that would explain everything.

Curiosity getting the better of them, Colby and David also grabbed a watch to read the back of it.

"Always wear this on Christmas Eve." David read it aloud.

Shrugging, Colby asked. "Couldn't it just mean that she wanted you to remember her at Christmas?"

Don stood up and walked to the tree and said. " We always thought that was what she meant but now were not so sure."

Alan leaned over and pointed at one of the watches. "Margaret spent a lot of money on these watches, more than I would ever spend on one, I can tell you that. When I asked her why, she smiled at me and said that her boys had to have really tough watches….that someday we would appreciate how strong they were." he paused momentarily, a catch in his throat and Charlie reached over and squeezed his shoulder. He patted his son's hand and then went on with his explaination.

The elder Eppes shook his head sadly. "I had forgotten all about that conversation…until now. I didn't understand it then but I think I do now. The housing on those watches are pure titanium, advertised to be strong enough to "stop a bullet."

Alan turned and locked eyes with Don as he added. "I guess the ad was correct."

"It makes perfect sense." the cosmologist continued on as if he had not been interrupted. "Recent discoveries in quantum physics and in cosmology have shed a lot of light on how the mind interacts with the universe."

Charlie had become accustomed to some of the blank looks he received when he tried to explain some of his mathematical theories to his friends and he had to smile when he recognized the same expressions now

"What Larry is saying is that these discoveries compel acceptance of the idea that there is far more than just one universe and that we constantly interact with many of these "hidden" universes."

"I get it." Megan said excitedly. "Your saying that she somehow interacted with one of these universes and witnessed the three accidents and knew if she got them to wear those watches yesterday that they would survive!"

"Yes!" Larry answered enthusiastically. "That's exactly what I'm saying. The definition for a premonition is the anticipating of an event without conscious reason or previous warning; knowing what is going to happen by purely psychic means."

Charlie stood up and putting his hands in his pockets he walked over to stand beside Don. He had never believed in psychic abilities or the paranormal but he was having a hard time getting his head around these events. It wasn't logical but somehow it was making sense to him.

"Charlie, I know you don't believe in psychics, what's your take on this?" David asked.

The young man turned around to find all eyes on him and he ducked his head momentarily allowing his curls to hide his face. When he looked up again they could see the sadness in his expressive eyes. "I can't explain it but in my heart I think it's true. I believe that somehow Mom knew and found a way to protect us."

His brother reached over and squeezed his shoulder and agreed with him. "I believe it too."

Alan had remained on the couch and everyone turned to face him when he spoke in a voice filled with confidence. "I have no doubt that my Margaret saved our lives yesterday."

They sat at length and discussed the events of the previous day, amazed that a simple watch had somehow kept the three of them from suffering fatal injuries. Eventually the conversation turned to light hearted subjects and they finished the day in merriment.

When their friends left later that evening, the handshakes may have lasted just a little longer and the hugs were perhaps a little tighter as they thought about how tragic this day could have been.

The Eppes family set about cleaning up and putting things back as they were and by the time they were finished all three of them were pretty exhausted.

………………………………...

Charlie found himself once again standing in front of the tree staring at the angel. Her light had gone out again and he turned to his father.

"Dad, the new bulbs that you put in the angel have already burnt out."

Alan responded softly. "I didn't have a chance to put them in."

Both boys turned to look at him.

"Dad, it was lit last night." Don added quickly. "It was burning really bright."

"I know but it wasn't because of anything I did. The replacement bulbs are still sitting on the table over there." he said as he motioned toward them with his hand.

Charlie's eyes widened. "But how…..?

Don whispered, "Mom's ghost."

Alan looked up at the angel and smiled, "Your mother loved that angel and I have never seen it glow as brightly as it did last night"

He paused and looked both of them in the eye. "I could feel her with us last night….I know she was here." He said as he rubbed his fingers lightly over his lips as if he was remembering something.

Don returned his gaze with an intensity of his own. "I felt her too Dad and I remember a feeling of peace and I thought I heard her say my name."

In a voice thick with emotion Charlie whispered.. "She ran her fingers through my hair and kissed me on the cheek." The young man rubbed at his eye to conceal a wayward tear and sighing he turned toward the stairs.

"I'm really tired guys, I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

Don had seen the tear though and hooked an arm around his brothers neck pulling him back..

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired too. You going to stay up much longer Dad?

"Just a few more minutes, see you in the morning boys."

Alan smiled and watched them leave. He could hear them arguing as they started up the stairs. It seemed that Donnie wanted to flip a coin to see who got the bathroom first and Charlie was accusing him of using a trick coin.

Alan knew what Don was trying to do for he had also witnessed Charlie wiping away his tears. Always the big brother, Don was trying to cheer him up.

He turned and looked at the angel again and whispered softly..

"We did good, Maggie. They are fine young men and now they have become what we always wanted them to be, brothers in heart as well as in blood. " He paused to wipe his own tears away. "Merry Christmas Margaret, I love you."

The events of the two days had finally caught up with him and he tiredly turned away and left the room, switching off the remaining lights as he followed his sons up the stairs.

If Alan had looked back down the staircase he would have seen Margaret's angel glowing brightly. The warm light radiating from her angel embraced her loved ones once again.

………………………………...

In the years that followed, Alan, Don and Charlie never repaired those watches but kept them as they were, a reminder of the love that had protected them on that Christmas Eve.

On every Christmas Eve thereafter, whether they were together or apart, each one of them would wear that broken watch and remember the second chance that they had been given . The loving bond that was forged that night would keep them close for the rest of their lives.

_Finis_

_A/N: Happy Holidays to All! _

_Vicki _


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